Sixteen distinguished alumni of the University of California, Davis, will be honored Homecoming weekend at the annual alumni association awards celebration on Friday, Oct. 20. The 16 -- a group that includes a viticulture pioneer, an opera singer and a member the of UC Davis medical school's first class in biological chemistry -- were selected by the Cal Aggie Alumni Association for outstanding accomplishments and service to the university, their communities and professions. After a strolling light buffet dinner, the talents of current UC Davis design and international students will be featured in a Student Fashion Show. The awards presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event, which will be in the Walter A. Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center at 6 p.m., are $25 each and can be obtained by calling the alumni association at (916) 752-0286 or (800) 242-GRAD (California only). The following alumni will be honored: Harold E. Kendall, a 1929 UC Davis graduate, will receive the Jerry W. Fielder Memorial Award for service to the university, its alumni association and the UC Davis Foundation. Kendall has been a pioneer in the citrus and avocado industry and chair of South Florida Growers Association. He was also a member of the UC Davis Foundation board of trustees in 1983-90, serving as chair in 1988-90. Continuing his service to higher education and to UC Davis, Kendall, the 1984 recipient of the alumni association's Distinguished Achievement Award, has made generous contributions to such programs as Students First and TeamAGGIE. Vincent E. Petrucci, who received a bachelor's degree in 1947 and a master's degree in 1948, will receive the Distinguished Achievement Award for lifetime distinction in community and public service. A World War II veteran, Petrucci founded the viticulture program at California State University, Fresno, and continues to devote a significant portion of his time to obtaining private funding for the program. His efforts have resulted in the recently completed $2 million Viticulture and Enology Center, as well as a soon-to-be completed state-of-the-art winery at CSU Fresno. Petrucci also serves as consultant for grape-growing countries worldwide. The Emil M. Mrak International Award for distinguished service outside the United States will be presented to Thomas Anthony Bickle, one of the first students to graduate from the UC Davis School of Medicine's Department of Biological Chemistry, receiving a Ph.D. in 1972. Bickle is Ordentlicher Professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology of the world famous Biozentrum at the University of Basel Switzerland. A recipient of numerous honors, he was also elected to membership in the European Molecular Biology Organization, the equivalent of the U.S. National Academy of Science. Darryl Covington Hunter, a 1984 graduate, will be given the Young Alumnus of the Year award for outstanding contributions to his profession, community and the university. Dr. Hunter is a physician and chief of radiation oncology at Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base, in Mississippi. He is also the founder and president of the Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology for the Gulf Coast. In 1994, he was promoted to the rank of major for his exemplary performance. Twelve Citations for Excellence will also be presented to individuals who have brought distinction to the university or who have served their community: • Wendy Barker, Ph.D. '81, is professor of English at the University of Texas in San Antonio and has extensive teaching experience at both college and high school levels. In addition, she is the author of numerous books, poems, essays and reviews and is currently completing five new works. Barker is a member of many professional organizations and committees, and serves as chair and faculty adviser for a variety of groups, including the Texas Institute of Letters and the Modern Language Association. • Patrick J. Borchers, J.D. '86, is professor of law at the Albany Law School of Union University and, in 1993, was appointed associate dean for student affairs. He has published numerous law reviews in leading journals and is co-writing a treatise on New York administrative procedure. He is an active participant in the community, serving on advisory boards and helping establish a church basketball league for children. • Victor Duraj, B.S. '90, former associate mechanical engineer for Hunt-Wesson in Davis, is president of the Antique Mechanics Society, an alumni support group for the UC Davis Antique Mechanic Club. In addition, he volunteers 20 to 30 hours each week serving as club adviser and mentor to the students. Recently, the Antique Mechanics Club hosted the first of six National Rural Forums. • Steven V. Edelman, M.D. '82, is assistant professor of medicine in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of California, San Diego. Previously, he was visiting physician at various universities and clinics, including Harvard and the University of Southern California. He is a member of several medical organizations and is particularly active in those associated with diabetes. He has also been a major participant in a cooperative clinical trial that examines the use of implantable, programmable insulin pumps for treatment of diabetes mellitus, type II. • Carol Flint, M.F.A. '87, is a producer for Amblin Productions, a television production company, and executive producer and co-creator of "Earth 2." She has been a staff writer for "China Beach" and an editor and producer for "L.A. Law" and other shows. Previously, she was a playwright-in-residence at Florida Studio Theatre, a finalist for the O'Neill National Playwrights Festival and a professor at New College in Florida. • Lillian Ladaga Galedo, B.S. '70, is executive director for Filipinos for Affirmative Action in Berkeley, which provides services to Filipinos. She has held staff positions at UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis and has been a research assistant with the Migrant and Farmworker Research Project for the state Department of Labor. In recognition of her involvement, Galedo was chosen by both the city of Berkeley and by Filipinas Magazine as a 1994 Outstanding Woman of the Bay Area. • Jon Allen Kessmeier, B.A. '91, is currently a defense analyst at the Science Application International Corp., which is the largest defense consulting firm in the Washington, D.C., area. A former State Department intern, he has also helped coordinate conferences in Europe relating to the future of NATO. In addition, he is also the president of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association's National Capital Chapter. • Dennis McNeil, B.A. '70, is an opera singer, currently performing as a soloist with the New York Metropolitan Opera. He has performed for audiences worldwide and can be heard in recordings accompanying some of the world's most accomplished orchestras and opera associations. In 1993, he won the prestigious Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. • Ruben Reyes, B.A. '83, Cred. '84, is principal of Elk Grove's Alyce Norman Elementary School, which was recently restructured under his leadership. Due to his efforts, Alyce Norman Elementary has been recognized by the California Department of Education as a Distinguished School and also a National Achieving School. In addition, Reyes continues to serve higher education by participating in various teacher education programs. • Linda Joyce Sain, B.A. '72, Cred. '73, is principal of Bear Flag Elementary School in Elk Grove. Sain has served Sacramento's public school system as, first, an elementary school teacher, then a principal for more than 20 years. In addition to her work as a public school administrator, Sain has been involved in various educational institutes, workshops and conferences, both at home and abroad. • Ann M. Veneman, B.A. '70, M.A. '71, was recently been appointed secretary for Agriculture for the state of California, the first woman to hold this position. Previously, she was an attorney in Washington, D.C., specializing in agricultural issues; deputy public defender for Stanislaus County; and deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she was a vital force in reorganizing the USDA and in completing the North American Free Trade Agreement at the Uruguay Round General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. • Carolyn F. Wall, B.A. '63, M.A. '65, Ph.D. '71, has had an extensive history in UC Davis administration, since joining the campus as a lecturer in 1968. She has served as associate professor, graduate adviser, associate dean of the College of Letters and Science and, most recently, was named vice chancellor for student affairs. While at UC Davis, she restructured the Spanish department, revised the General Education requirements and initiated such programs as "Finish-in-Four," a program to help students graduate within four years. In addition, Wall is involved in various community organizations, including the EXPLORIT! Davis Science Center.